Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-20
A COLLISION.
An xsarrx ARD A SuxsyR OF CARS
wRxcKgD.
The Accident the Result OF Malicious
Act-Detsctive Knocked Down
Negro Shot
roorr..ponaence Of .ne Rlchmond pIspatch.l

fcorrespondence OF the Richmond pispatch.l
PrrEasBune, Va. Dec. 10, 1887.
A collision occurred on the Norfolk
and Western railroad in this city last
night, caused, IL is believed, by the
malicious act OF parties unknown. who
are believed to have been engaged in
robbing the company's trains OF coal.
To put stop TO the losses from this
source, which have OF late become very
annoying and quite heavy, the company
has employed the services OF a special
detective from Philadclphis. through
whose watchfulness several negroes have
been arrested and prosecuted, and it is
thought that this act of self-protection
has given rise TO retaliation.
Shortly before $50 o'clock last night
Train No. IS, consisting OF over Thirty
gondolas loaded with coal, moved ont OF
the depot on its way to Norfolk. 1t had
only gone a few hundred yards when the
train left the main road and ran on to
side track, on which number OF empty
cars had been temporarily shifted. The
change OF track WAS caused by q mis-
placed switch, which, as stated above, is
believed TO have been misplaced inten-
tionally and with malice. The moving
train had an engine in front and another
in the rear. the latter being used to assist
the train over the grade east OF the city.
As soon as the change Of tracks occurred
the forward engineer reversed his engine
and blew the alarm. bnt it was too late
TO prevent collision with the cars in
front. and the crash followed very quick
". The front engine was badly dam
aged and number Of cars wrecked,
some OF those in front being broken to
pieces and thrown from the track. The
damage is quite heavy, the engine being
one OF the largest on the road. Forth
nately no person was hurt, the engineer
and fireman of the toward engine leaving
their places Just in time to save them
selves. As an evidence that the suspi-
cion of evil intent is well founded it may
be stated that the next switch beyond
the scene OF the accident, where a num-
Der of cars were side-tracked, was also
misplaced at the same time.
1t is said that two officers who were
on the watch for coal-thieves were con-
cealed under the empty cars on the side
track at the time of the accident. They
were the company's detective, Mr.. Kin
nerly, and Police Officer Deadman.
They managed to jump from their places
in time to escape injury.
NEGRO SHOT.
After the accident Detective Kinnerly
remained at his post, keeping watch on
q coal train near by. Between and 6
o'clock this morning he saw a man on
one of the cars filing bag with coal.
When the man descended with his bag
the officer arrested him and started with
him to the station-house. The prisonerwas
a colored man, and gave his name as Ed
ward Winston. While they we're on their
way the officer was knocked down, as he
says, by the negro, who suddenl y swung
his bag of coal against him, and then
ran away. The detective commanded the
fugitive to stop, but the command
was unheeded. Resting upon his knees,
the officer drew his pistol and fired. The
shot took effect and brought the man to
q halt 1t was found upon later exami-
nation that the ball had entered the
lower part of the back, and passing in
ward lodged in the upper portion of
the thigh, just below the groin. The
wound, while painful, is not regarded by
the physicians as dangerous. The
wounded man was taken from the Jail to
his home for treatment. He swOre out
a warrant against Detective Kinnerly for
malicious shooting, and the officer was
bailed in the sum of $3.50 for his appear
ance for examination on the 2Sth.
DEPUTY ASSAULTED.
Mr.. T. A. st. Clair, one Of the depu-
ties employed at the city jail. was as
saulted this morning by colored man
named Mabry, who was admitted as a
visitor to the Jail premises. Mr.. st.
Clair had occasion to speak to Mabry by
reason of his conduct towards one OF the
female prisoners, and the latter retorled
in a manner that caused the officer to
threaten to have him put out; thereupon
Mabry struck Mr.. st. Clair a blow IN
the face. Mabry was arrested and car
ried before the Mayor, who fined him
ten dollars and sentenced him to three
months Imprisonment in jail. From
this decision the prisoner took an appeal
to the Hastings Court.
A negro woman was sent to jail for
fifteen days by the Mayor this morning
for stealing coal from the Norfolk and
Western Railroad Company, and two
small. bows charged with like offence
were discharged with reprlmand.
koBIN ApAIR.